one hive or two??

[harvey]

Ok all yall seem to know what you are talking about!  I don't know much cept what I am learning on here.  I have no idea what to expect or how much honey I can get from one hive but I am sure that I want at least on other one.  I will purchase the hive this year and have it ready for spring.  I promised the bee's that I have now or should I say that decided to live with me that I would not bother them or check there hive for two weeks.  I have 10 days left fore I can open them up and check on there progress!   I built a platform out of two by six laid flat with a cedar top for them to sit on this year.  I like the idea of putting them on 4x4's with a bench type platform so I will build that this year and have it ready for next year. 

Now from the artic North,  A little more advice would be nice.  How much do the bee's need to winter over?  Should I protect the hive in any manner?  As you know we have fairly deep snow.  I am not really content with one hive but will manage till spring.  The hive I have now is from a swarm that landed in my orchard.  They seem to be very busy coming and going.  Funny,  I have lived hear since 1995 and have never seen a honey bee on the property,  always bumble bees and such.  Since they decided to come here I have decided to try and take care of them. 

A friend of mine used to be in the bee or honey business ten years ago or more.  He told me the other day that he has a two frame extractor and a hot knife that he will make me a real good deal on.  I think he means that If I stay with bee's he will give them to me.  He seemed excited that I had gotten into bee's.  He is the one that helped me take the swarm from the plum tree and put it in a cardboard box. 

How much honey could you take from a hive and still make sure they have enough.  I have two supers to put on when they are ready.  I guess I wait till they have eight of the ten frames drawn out in the top brood box?   

[Michael Bush]

>I have no idea what to expect or how much honey I can get from one hive but I am sure that I want at least on other one.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesexpectations.htm

>Now from the artic North,  a little more advice would be nice.  How much do the bee's need to winter over?

The hive, here in Southeast Nebraska, should weigh about 150 pounds going into winter with a large Italian cluster.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#winter

>  Should I protect the hive in any manner?  As you know we have fairly deep snow.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#stopwrapping

>a friend of mine used to be in the bee or honey business ten years ago or more.  He told me the other day that he has a two frame extractor and a hot knife that he will make me a real good deal on.  I think he means that If I stay with bee's he will give them to me.

Even if he wants $100 that would be a fair deal...

>How much honey could you take from a hive and still make sure they have enough.

That's not the right question.  It may be you can't take any and you have to feed.  It may be you can take 200 pounds and they still have 150 pounds left.

>  I have two supers to put on when they are ready.  I guess I wait till they have eight of the ten frames drawn out in the top brood box?   

Yes.

[harvey]

Thanks,  I realy am learning a lot on this forum from people like you and I do appreciate it.

[mick]

Go for two, hardly any more work than one and good insurance. Besides with those trees, you will get the best yield ever! As for honey, in a good year you might get a couple of hundred pounds a hive, in a bad year, maybe 40, less than that and theres a problem. Thats when 2 hives will come into play providing honey for the growing list of relos.

Since I went to two, I have something to compare and if one dies, I can rebuild it using the other as I have done already.

Above all, having two is more fun.

You have snow, so I  imagine having two is even more sensible. A two frame extractor brand new is a few hundred bucks for a cheap one. They last forever, a good buy as soon as you can afford it and sounds like you can afford this deal.